Senior Men (with main sponsors ATA Group) into Championship Semi-final

Sen Champ QFinal Killygarry 2-16(22), Kingscourt Stars 2-15(21)

Our Senior men eked out a brilliant championship win yesterday. One commentator said if every game of football was as entertaining as this, it would be standing room only at Breffni Park every week. We made a slow start with quite a few wides but both sides were level at three points each at the end of the first quarter. A brilliant move at the start of the second quarter saw Conor Bates make a 70m or more burst up the middle exchanging quick passes along the way before setting up Daniel Walsh who fired confidently to the net. Kingscourt battled back and hit us with a sucker-punch goal just before half-time to take a three-point kead into the break. Our point scorers in the first half were Oisín Brady (4), Martin Reilly and Conor Smith (2). Half-time score was Killygarry 1-7(10), Kingscourt Stars 2-7(13)

Kingscourt kept their noses in front during the third quarter but our lads kept chipping away at their lead until Martin Reilly finished off another incisive move to the net to put us back into the lead on the 20th minute. Kingscourt didn’t give up and drew the sides level going into injury time but Conor Smith kept his nerve when we were awarded a free and he slotted it over. Mattie McKenna fielded magnificently from a Kingscourt kickout just as the referee blew the final whistle. Our points scorers in the second half were Ben Mooney, Darragh Lovett (3), Oisín Brady (2) and Conor Smith (3).

Well done to everyone involved. The players displayed great teamwork and never gave up. The defence was also instriumental in the win, particularly Paddy Galligan who pulled off a couple of top-class saves that would have swung the game the other way. All the players worked hard for each other. Next up is the semifinal in a fortnight’s time against the winners of the Ramor/Mullahoran replay.

Killygarry: Paddy Galligan, Daryl Dunne, Conor Bates, Conor Connolly, Daryl McKenna, Cian Reilly, Daniel Walsh (1-0), Darragh Kennedy, Mattie McKenna, Oisín Brady (0-6, 4f), Martin Reilly (1-1), Mark McDermott, Darragh Lovett (0-3), Conor Smith (0-5, 2f), Ross Sheridan. Subs used: Ben Mooney (0-1), Kevin Lovett, Anselm Lovett.

By noel Fri 15th Apr